I heard an expression that fit some of the comments on this blog and others. "If you throw a stone over the fence, one dog will howl...the one that got hit."
I have noticed that many times. I have accumulated a unique collection of orthodox Lutheran quotations, Reformed Church Growth statements, and WELS/LCMS/ELCA CG pronouncements. When does the dog howl?
A. Some Lutherans hate having Luther quoted. I sent some quotations from Luther about the ministry and one woman said, "Now you will be fired."
B. Some Lutherans hate having their synodical CG heroes quoted, just as much as the gurus themselves loathe it. One tireless CG promoter said to my friend, "I am not Church Growth." My friend said, "You have him denying it. That's progress."
The dog howls many different ways. Here are the typical WELS canine howls:
1. You did not talk to the person first. (Public doctrine does not require a private rebuke. This is quite different from spitting on the sidewalk.)
2. You are getting people upset. (Why identify a problem when leaders are content to let false doctrine grow?)
3. You are unloving. (False teachers are vicious and nasty, but the clever ones let their unbalanced pals do the dirty work. One district pope came up to me to deliver a honker of a lie from his CG pal. "You never talked to him about this." Actually, I did, and the spineless coward almost ran from me to avoid any conversation. I had to trap the guy with a flank speed walk that cut him off at the pass. Then I sat at dinner with him.)
4. You spoke to the person directly. (In other words, one must speak to false teachers but cannot for fear of upsetting them.)
5. These quotations are old. (The Formula of Concord dealt with old but recent errors that needed correction: good works are necessary for salvation, good works are injurious to salvation.)
6. If you don't like it, why don't you leave the synod? (A perfect synod cannot accept any kind of correction. False doctrine suggests that Holy Mother Synod is a ho.)
7. You are destroying/dividing the synod. (That was delivered through an acquaintance from the son of former SP Carl Mischke. That was also used by the so-called Church of the Lutheran Confession. District Pope Mueller, who condoned false doctrine and clergy adultery said, "You cause trouble everywhere you go.")
I know Lutheran men who have turned off the comments section of their blog. That is a mistake. Yes, the blog will attract those little boys who want to comment anonymously without fear of consequences. I noticed that some are now avoiding any link that might identify them. The synod minders do this all the time through word-of-mouth. WELS pastors are deathly afraid of "The Grapevine." Stir up the wrath of Holy Mother WELS and The Grapevine will invent and spread slander. I like making their work public.
Fellow bloggers, the Word is audibly efficacious when the dog is howling.
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rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Throw a Stone Over the Fence: Dog Howls":
I know of one now retired WELS pastor who passed off every concern and criticism as "hearsay". He would then always invoke point #1. The problem was that he personified the abusiveness of WELS called workers upon the laity. That's why members talked behind his back. The best treatment that they could expect when voicing a concern would be that of Pavlov's dogs. They never knew if they were going to be beaten or fed when the light came on. It should not surprise any of us that this pastor was quite skilled at using the "8&18 switch".
If you want get some people mad, tell them a lie. If you really want to get them mad, tell them the truth.
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Michael Schottey has left a new comment on your post "Response to New Poll by WELS Lay Student":
I like to call it the "Paul Kelm Special"
To believe in the efficacy of the Word of God is a finite fact. You either do or you don't.
To make at "insofar as" clause after that is at best a confusion of terms, or a weak faith in the efficacy of the Word. At worst, for those who preach and teach such things, they are apostate.
It is the Holy Spirit who calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies, and he does so in his own time, with the Means of Grace, wherever he wills it.
Mega churches stealing from one another, refusing to feed the souls of their people is not "discipling all nations" it is stealing the weak sheep from others flock, only to further damage their souls.
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WELS lay Student has left a new comment on your post "Response to New Poll by WELS Lay Student":
A few comments on the responses to my post:
1. The use of the word "but" was wrong in my original post. I should have used "and". However, I don't think that would have change the responses.
2. To Schottey, You stated, "it is the Holy Spirit who calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies, and he does so in his own time, with the Means of Grace, wherever he wills it." I agree with you 100%. But is it not possible that the Holy Spirit is inspiring the use of "non-traditionalist means" to bring others to faith.
I don't think you are saying that the only way the Holy Spirit can bring someone to faith is through the traditional WELS methods; however, part of me thinks you are alluding to it.
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rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Throw a Stone Over the Fence: Dog Howls":
Michael Schottey's observation about Mega churches stealing from one another is right on target from what I have seen. The weak sheep do tend to wander from one mega church to another. A fitting description for them might be "spiritual gypsies". I was always told by WELS pastors that it was inproper to engage in sheep stealing. With this in mind, why would the WELS embrace the Church Growth Movement so much?
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Throw a Stone Over the Fence: Dog Howls":
The dysfunctionality you describe is on the money. They do not wish to be confused by the facts. The truth is what they want it to be.
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Brian P Westgate has left a new comment on your post "Throw a Stone Over the Fence: Dog Howls":
#5 reminds me of the socialist/neo-con "the Constitution is a 'living document'" theory. Utter nonsense.
Anyways, to the student, the Holy Ghost works when and where it pleases Him, through the means He has ordained, the preaching of the Holy Gospel and the administration of the Blessed Sacraments. The Western Rite is full of the Scriptures, full of justification by grace through faith. Every thing about it confesses Christ, even the incense, vestments, and whatever else may be properly used with this rite. Therefore, your statement to Mr. Schottey sounds very much like that of a "schwaermer."
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Check Out the Official Position of WEL versusLuther
How to become a Seminary President
"Useful Ideas for My Ministry from the Church Growth Movement...The Church Growth Movement--Strengths and Weaknesses...The Church Growth Movement--An Evaluation...Church Growth Sounds Good, But...Dangers of the Church Growth Movement...Friendship Evangelism...Rationale for Friendship Evangelism..."
Prof. David J. Valleskey, Class Notes, The Theology and Practice of Evangelism, PT 358A
Olson’s False Doctrine IS a Barrier
"We cannot add anything to the Word, but we may be able to remove the human barriers which might be in the way of the Word."
Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "See How It Grows: Perspectives on Growth and the Church," EVANGELISM, February, 1991, Parish Consultant for the WELS Board of Parish Services and his district's Coordinator of Evangelism. p. 3.
Think What Fuller Seminary Could Have Done for Luther
"We can't do a thing to make his Word more effective. But surely we can detract from its effectiveness by careless errors and poor judgment. It just makes good sense to utilize all of our God-given talents, to scour the field for appropriate ideas, concepts, and material (sic), to implement programs, methods, and techniques so that we do not detract from the effectiveness of the gospel we proclaim. Church growth articles, books, seminars, and conferences can offer such ideas and programs."
Pastor James Huebner, Spiritual Renewal Consultant, Notebook, School of Outreach IV, Seventeen Ways to Keep Your Church from Growing, p. 178.
Kelm – Ashamed of the Gospel
"Don't let the world paint us into a corner of antiquarianism on subjects like a six-day creation or verbal inspiration."
Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," J-027,303 p. 13.
Kelm – Browbeat Them into the Kingdom
"Thesis Seven: Sound Apologetics Can Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good...Logic never converted anyone; but Christianity is logically defensible, once one makes reason ministerial to God and His Word...Read C.S. Lewis, Francis Schaeffer and Josh McDowell for practical apologetic tools. In fact, lend your copy to the prospect whose intelligence and education have become his curse. Once you've read Josh McDowell's 'Lord, Liar, or Lunatic' argument for the deity of Christ, you'll find yourself using it."
Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 14.
Kelm – Sound Doctrine Has No Effect on What He Practices
"A last word on sound doctrine is in place. Sound doctrine must be distinguished from tradition, praxis and preference. The liturgy, translation of the Bible, vestments and organizational policies of the church are not equatable with sound doctrine."
Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 3.
Kelm – Not the Word, But Felt Needs
"Non-Christians usually become good prospects for personal reasons or as I like to say: 'They come for sociological reasons and stay for theological reasons.'" [Note: this is the felt needs approach of Fuller, also endorsed by Pastor Forrest Bivens, now a professor at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary: "I went to Fuller Seminary and I happen to believe we can use sociological methods to bring people to church so we can apply the Means of Grace." Midland circuit get together, attended by Pastor - now DP - John Seifert.]
Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," J-438 p. 4.
Kelm – Think Big, Be Big…So Why Is WELS Shrinking with Such Big Thinkers?
"Small churches need not be small thinkers, but small-thinking churches will always remain small. Churches and people seldom go/grow beyond their expectations."
Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," See Waldo Werning and Robert Schuller for the same thought. Did the Apostles know this? p. 6.
Kelm – People Are Effective; the Word Is Not Efficacious
"Thesis One: Sound Doctrine Sounds Good When Good People Sound it. Normally, people respond to other people before they respond to doctrine."
Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 7.
Larry Oh! WELS Staff Infection –
I Only Have ONE Degree from Fuller, and It Isn’t Much
"Please stop exaggerating the amount of study that I have done at Fuller. After four years of study at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, which involved sixty-two different courses and a year of vicarage, I graduated in 1983. From 1987 to 1989 I took four courses where I was in a classroom with a Fuller instructor. That is the extent of my Fuller coursework...In addition, I have taken two courses at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and one at the University of Wisconsin--Madison. Because of Fuller's liberal (would you expect anything else?) policy on transfer of credit, and because of two independent studies I undertook, I could complete the degree by simply writing a dissertation."
Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "A Response to Gregory L. Jackson, Ph.D.," Christian News, 3-28-94, p. 23
Olson – Methods Are Effective
"While only the Word is efficacious, the methods we use to minister to people with that Word may vary in their effectiveness."
Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "See How It Grows: Perspectives on Growth and the Church," EVANGELISM, February, 1991, Parish Consultant for the WELS Board of Parish Services and his district's Coordinator of Evangelism. p. 2.
Olson – the Word Needs Human Wisdom to Work
"Contemporary social and behavioral sciences are a working out of the reason which God has given to humanity. Granted, the assumptions of some sociologists or anthropologists may be inconsistent with the Christian faith. That calls for discernment, but it does not invalidate the proper use of the social sciences by the church; it is, however, essential that they be used in a 'ministerial' manner."
Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "See How It Grows: Perspectives on Growth and the Church," EVANGELISM, February, 1991, Professor, Martin Luther College, (WELS), p. 3.
Olson – See How WELS Has Shriveled with MY Ideas from Fuller
"It is appropriate to make use of educational research to improve the functioning of our small group Bible studies."
Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "See How It Grows: Perspectives on Growth and the Church," EVANGELISM, February, 1991, Parish Consultant for the WELS Board of Parish Services and his district's Coordinator of Evangelism. p. 3.
Wake Me Up When It’s Over
"Wouldn't it be terrible to sleep through the Second Reformation? Cell Group Churches. The New Lifestyle For New Wineskins. Cell Group Churches Are Really Different! A 'Cell Group' Church is built on the fact that all Christians are ministers, and that there is no 'professional clergy' hired to do the work of ministry. According to Ephesians 4, God has provided 'Gifted Men' to equip 'Believers Who Are Gifted' to do the work of ministry...The life of the church is in its Cells, not in a building. While it has weekly worship events, the focus of the church is in the home Cells."
Touch Outreach Ministries, P.O. Box 19888 Houston, TX 77079 1-800-735-5865 "Cell Groups For Reaching The Unchurched Are Called...SHARE GROUPS. Touch Outreach Ministries has spent many years experimenting with the best way to train Cell Group members to form 'Sub-Groups' called SHARE GROUPS which specifically target evangelizing the unchurched. SHARE GROUPS are 'pre-Bible study' Cells, which bond relationships between three Christians and six unbelievers. A series of three small books are used over a 27-week period of training. The first book, called 'BUILDING BRIDGES, OPENING HEARTS,' guides the SHARE GROUP Team through the first part of the strategy." Touch Outreach Ministries, P.O. Box 19888 Houston, TX 77079 1-800-735-5865 p. 7.
Cell Groups Make the Word Effective
"The point being made here is that the reason for having home Bible study in small groups seems to have shifted from the Pietists' or parachurch groups goal of creating cells of people who will reform the church to having small groups as an integral part of a congregation's work."
Prof. David Kuske, "Home Bible Study Groups in the 1990s," Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, Spring, 1994. p. 127.
Peterson Leaves the Ministry on a Low Note
"In my opinion, therefore, Church Growth receptivity and 'soil testing' techniques are often unfairly criticized as if they were by definition synergistic. It is a fact that some fields are, for various historical and sociological reasons, more receptive to the preaching of the gospel and church planting than others. Our home and world mission boards make these judgments all the time in deciding where to begin churches or send missionaries."
Rev. Curtis Peterson, former WELS World Mission Board, "A Second and Third Look at Church Growth Principles," Metro South Pastors Conference Mishicot, Wisconsin, February 3, 1993 J-222 p. 12 Mark 4:
Luther – Remember Him from Church History Class?
"Likewise, in the matter of preaching, we must make selection that order may be preserved. But since all who are Christians have authority to preach, what will be the outcome? for women will also want to preach. No so. St. Paul forbids women to put themselves forward as preachers in a congregation of men and says: They should be subject to their husbands." [WELS has women in authority over men, contrary to the efficacious Word.]
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 375. Pentecost Tuesday 1 Timothy 2:11-12.
A Contrast – The Book of Concord and the Word of God
"And this call of God, which is made through the preaching of the Word, we should not regard as jugglery, but know that thereby God reveals His will, that in those whom He thus calls He will work through the Word, that they may be enlightened, converted, and saved. For the Word, whereby we are called, is a ministration of the Spirit, that gives the Spirit, or whereby the Spirit is given, 2 Corinthians 3:8, and a power of God unto salvation, Romans 1:16. And since the Holy Ghost wishes to be efficacious through the Word, and to strengthen and give power and ability, it is God's will that we should receive the Word, believe and obey it."
Formula of Concord, SD XI. #29. Election. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 1073. Tappert, p. 621. Heiser, p. 289. 2 Corinthians 3:8; Romans 1:16.
